Filing cabinet



A. c. SCHROEDER FILING CABINET Nov. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1960 .mW xlLlL-wl l mm 5m o o (fw w www MM /fa l Fig. 6.

United States Patent 3,009,754 FILING CABINET Adolph Carl Schroeder, P.O. Box 515, Yorktown, Tex. Filed Feb. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 6,973 1 Claim. (Cl. 31a-282) This invention relates to a tiling cabinet having a carriage mounted to travel over bins with a hinged cover mounted to swing to a closed position over the bins when the cabinet is not in use and to an open position to expose the bins for receiving tax receipts and the like, as it is used.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a tiling cabinet having a plurality of bins with a table mounted to travel over the bins whereby cards, certiiicates, such as tax receipts, mail, and other elements may be sorted by a single operator and particularly by a handicapped person, such as a person having one hand, in a chair, mounted on casters and designed to travel back and forth along the bins.

Various types of sorting tables and cabinets have been provided. However, for some uses it is desirable to travel from one end to the other of an elongated cabinet in order to distribute articles in pockets or bins of the cabinet. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates an elongated frame having an open bin at one end, a folding platform for a table mounted on rollers extended from the opposite end, removable bins in the intermediate part of the cabinet and a hinged cover whereby the cover is mounted to swing downwardly to a closed position when the cabinet is not in use and upwardly to an open position as the cabinet is used for filing.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an elongated cabinet having a hinged cover and which is designed to be used in combination with a chair mounted on rollers whereby an operator in the chair may travel along a row of bins in the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated ling cabinet in which the cabinet is designed to be used as a table or the like when not in use for filing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated l-ing cabinet in which the parts are collapsible to facilitate transportation and storage thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elongated filing cabinet having removable receiving bins with a hinged cover and a table designed to travel from one end of the cabinet to the other in which the cabinet is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies an elongated rectangular shaped trame having collapsible legs at the corners, transversely disposed removable bins in the intermediate portion, a hinged cover mounted to swing to a vertical position when the cabinet is in use and to a horizontal position when the cabinet is not in use, an open bin at one end of the cabinet and a platform for a table mounted on rollers extended from the opposite end of the cabinet.

Other features and advantages of the inventionwill appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the filing cabinet with the parts of the cabinet extended for use.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the cabinet with the parts as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the cabinet, also with the parts in the open position as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section through the upper portion of the cabinet showing the traveling table and removable bins or card files with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and with parts broken away.

3,009,754 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 FIGURE 5 is an end elevational View looking toward the front of the end of the cabinet on which the rolling table is positioned 4showing the table on a collapsible platform also with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and with parts broken away.

FIGURE 6` is a longitudinal section through the end of the table opposite to the end from which the table platform is positioned showing a removable open bin hanging on an end member of the table.

FIGURE s7 is a plan View showing one end of one of the bins or card tiles with the opposite portion of the file broken away.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts the improved filing cabinet of this invention includes a horizontally disposed frame having side panels 10 and 11 connected by end panels 12 and 13 and mounted on legs 14 which are slidably held in sockets 15 in corners of the frame, bins 16 having tabs 17 and 1,8 extended from the ends and positioned to rest on upper edges of rails 19 and 20 whereby the bins are removably mounted in the cabinet, a cover 21 having a light bulb 22 in a hood 23 on the upper edge and secured to the upper edge of the rear panel 11 by hinges 24, an open bin 25 positioned at one end of the cabinet andsupported by arms 26 and 27 extended over the upper edge of the panel 12, as shown in FIGURE 6i, a platform 28 extended from the end of the cabinet opposite to the end on which the bin 25 is positioned and a rolling or traveling table 29 mounted on rollers 30 in brackets 31 and positioned to travel in channel shapedrails 3`2 and 33 on upper edges of the panels 10 and 11.

The intermediate bins or trays 16 are supported by the tabs 17 and 18 on the rails 19 and 20 and the tabs are provided with rings 34 that are pivotallly mounted in bearings 35 extended upward-ly from the tabs 17 and 18 to facilitate picking up the bins or trays. In the design shown, each of the bins is provided with a base 36, side panels 37 and 38 and end panels 39 from which the tabs 17 and 18 extend. It will be understood that the bins may be of any suitable size and as many bins may be provided as may be desired.

'The end bin 25 is illustrated as extending from the left hand end of the cabinet and the platiiorm 28 is positioned on the opposite or right hand end. However, a cabinet for use by a left hand operator may be formed with the tray 25 on the right hand end and the platform 28 extended from the left hand end. The tray or bin 25 is also provided with a base 40, side walls 41 and 42 and end walls 43 and 44.

The cover 211 is mounted by the hinges 24, to swing downwardly to a horizontal position over the bins When the cabinet is not in use. The light bulb 22 is mounted in sockets 45 in the end walls of the hood 23 and the hood 23 is provided with a ilange 46 by which the hood is secured to the edge of the cover by screws 47.

The plat-form 28 is pivotalily mounted by pins 48 in arms 49 extended from brackets 50 on the end wall 13 of the frame, the brackets being secured to the end wall by screws 5:1. 'I'he extended end of the platform 28 is provided with a guard rail 52 that is secured to the end of the platform by screws 53.

The platform is supported by folding braces 54 and 55 which are pivotally connected by pins 56 and upper ends of the braces 55 are connected to the platform by pins 57. The lower ends of the braces 54 are connected to the lower edge of the end panel 13 by pins 58 which are positioned in brackets 59. 'Ihe upper edges of the braces 55 are provided with stops 60 that extend over upper edges of the braces 54, as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The upper surface of the platform 28 is provided with rails 61 that are positioned in registering relation with the rails 32 and 33 on upper edges of the side panels and 11 and when not in use the table is rolled to a position on the platform, as illustrated in FIGURES l and 5.

The lower ends of the legs 14 may also be provided with rollersor casters 62 to facilitate rolling the cabinet from one position to another.

With the parts assembled as illustrated and described an operator in a chair having casters and positioned at the front of the table may readily travel from one end to the other sorting cards, mail, tax certificates and the like and placing the same in the bins and the cards may be carried on the table 29 and deposited in the bins as sorted.

In use the cover is opened to the position illustrated inV FIGURES l and 3, the bin 2 5 suspended from the end panel 12 at one end, and the platform 28 supported in a horizontal position by the braces 54 and V55 and with the rolling table 29 positioned thereon, stacks of cards, tax certilcates or receipts `andl the like may be placed on the table 2,9. and the table rolled in the channel shaped tracks 32 and 33 which are secured to upper edges of theV side panels 10 and 11 by screws 63.

The s ide rails 19 and 20 may be secured to the side panels 10 `and 11 by screws 64 or by other suitable means.A

'I'he arms 26 and 27 by which the open bin 25 is supported from the end panel 12 are provided with depending flanges 65 which extend over upper edges of the end panel.

When not in use the bin 25 is removed, the platform 2,8 dropped downwardly to a position against the end panel 13, the legs 14 removed from the sockets 1S and the cover Ztl folded downwardly upon the upper sunface of the frame whereby the cabinet occupies comparatively small space to facilitate stonage and shipping.

With the cabinet assembled and set up for use, as illustrated and described it is readily actuated by a single operator, and particularly by a handicapped person, such as a person having one hand.

It will ybe understood that modification-s, within the scope of the appended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of the partis without ydeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a filing cabinet, the combination which comprises an elongated rectangular shaped horizontallyv disposed frame having legs removably mounted at the corners of the frame, longitudinally disposed rails mounted on the inner surfaces of side panels of the frame and spaced downwardly from upper edges thereof, bins removably mounted on said rails and positioned in the frame, rails, channel shaped in cross-section mounted on upper edges of the side panels of the fname, so that said last mentioned rails are in elevated parallel rel-ation to the longitudinally disposed nails a collapsible platform extended` from one end of the frame and having rails channel shaped in crossseotion thereon positioned in registering longitudinal alignment with the channel shaped rails of the side panels of the frame whereby the 'rails on the platform form extensions of the rails on said frame, a table mounted ou rollers arranged to travel longitudinally ofthe frame and outwardly of the frame onto said platform with the rollers in the aligned channel shaped rails on the frame and on the platform, a cover hinged to a side panel of the frame and mounted to swing, selectively, to

a position covering the bins, or to an upwardly disposedy extended position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

